CPW seeks volunteers for bird monitoring team in Upper Arkansas River Valley

SALIDA, Colo. (KRDO) - Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is seeking volunteers to assist the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area in monitoring birds this summer in the Upper Arkansas River Valley.

According to CPW, volunteers who sign up for the 2024 Bluebird Monitoring program will gather important data on birds by helping track the nesting behavior of cavity-nesting birds, paying particular attention to mountain and western bluebirds. Volunteers will be asked to take a two-hour training class to learn the basics of cavity-nesting birds and proper nest box monitoring protocols. They will learn about the different types of birds they may encounter, how to understand and report nest box data, and how to properly care for their route and bird boxes.  Then volunteers are expected to monitor a specific set of nests on routes mapped by CPW.

The monitoring is done once a week into September.

At the end of the season, CPW will host a barbecue where volunteers will share their findings.

Anyone interested in joining the bird monitoring team should register on the CPW website.